William j



(Model.)

W. J. NOBLE.

GOPPIN PASTBNBR.

No. 383,235. Patented May 22, 1888.

Tatras ITE "armar erica.

VILLIAh/I J. NOBLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 383,235, dated May 22, 1858.

Serial No. 261,507. (Model.)

To MZ whom it may concern:`

Be it known that 1, WrLLrAM J. Nonna, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in CofliirFastcners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved fastener for attaching the lid of a casket or coffin to the body of the same, the fastening devices being concealed from view and readily operated when removing the lid from the cisket and automatically locked to the body when applying the lid thereto.

The invention is specially designed as an improvement on the coffin-fastener for which an application was filed by me under date of Angust G, 1887, Serial No. 246,299.

The invention consists of a fastening and locking device for the lids ofcotins, &c.,which comprises a plate attached to the casket-body, said plate having a depressed channel or way, an eye or opening at the front end of said channel, a stop or shoulder at the opposite end of the same, and a ledge with inclined face adjoining the eye, a tapering catch having an inclincd face attached to the lid, and a pivoted` and spring-actuated lockingpiece that abuts against the rear shoulder of the plate and is provided with a thumbvpiece for lifting the piece clear of the shoulder when it is desired to remove the lid.

In the accompanying drawi1igs,Figu re l represents a bottom view of the lid ot' a casket with my improved fastening device. Fig. 2 is a top view of a casketbody, showing the recessed plates with which the fastening devices for the lid interlock. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the fastening devices connecting the body and lid ofthe casket, drawn on a larger scale; and Figs. et and 5 are detail top and bottom views ofthe fastening and locking devices applied to the lid.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate corre spending parts.

In the drawings, A represents the body, and B the lid, oil a casket of any approved construction. The body A is provided with plates G, of which two are arranged near the head and two near the foot end of the body A.. Each plate Ois provided with a depressed longitudinal channel or way, a, an opening, b, at

the front end of the channel a, and a ledge, d, adjoining the opening b, said ledge having an inclined face, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. The bottom of the channel a is a straight plane, while the sides of the channels are at uniform width from each other. The plate C is attached by screws to the edge of the body A, the edge being properly recessed, so that the plate C is flush with the same. Each plate C is provided at the rear end with astop or shoulder, e, which serves as an abutment for the locking-piece E.

The lid B is provided near both ends with as many catches D as there are plates in the body, each plate being attached by a perforated Clislcsliaped enlargement, D', and screws to thelid B. The catch D is made tapering toward its point and inclined at that side adjoining the inclined face of the ledge d, and slightly curved at its underside, so as to nieve along the depressed channel a and drop into the opening b at the end of the saine until it is firmly engaged by the inclined edged ofthe plate C, as shown in Fig. 3.

The inclined ledge, in connection with the inclined face of the catch, produces the intimate locking of the plate and catch and prevents play and rattling of the parts. To each catch D at the foot end of the body A is pivoted a weighted lockingpiece, E, which is acted upon byaspring, E', interposed between the catch and lid, the locking-piece being pivote/d by its Tshaped endf to a corresponding recess, f', of the enlarged plate D' of the catch D, as shown clearly in Fig. 4. The opposite end ofthe locking-piece E is gradually increased in thickness, so as to be sufficiently weighted to drop automatically into the depressed channel a when the catches D engage the ledge d. This is accelerated by the spring E', which also holds the lockingpiece E in position and prevents the rattling of the same. Each locking-piece E is provided with a laterally and downwardly extending thumb piece g, by which the locking-piece E can be lifted whenever it is desired to remove the lid from the casket-body. For this purpose thelid isprovidedwitharecess,7z.,extending vertically above each locking-piece E, sothat asuftieient space is produced for lifting the locking-piece E clear of the shoulder of the plate C and permit the withdrawing of the catch D from the ledge d.

For attaching the lid to the casketbody the catches D are moved along the depressed channels of the plates O C until they drop into the openings or eyes b and engage the inclined ledges d of said plates. When they arrive in thisposition,the weighted and the spring-actu ated lockingpieces E drop into the depressed channels a of the plates Gand abut against the shoulders of the same7 so that the lid is prevented froni being removed from the body of the casket until the locking-pieces are lifted, so as to clear said shoulders. The springs E retain the pivoted locking-pieces E reliably in engagement with the shoulders of the plates C, so as to prevent any accidental disconnection cf the lid from the easketfbody.

l am aware that the lid of a burialeasliet has been attached to thel body of the same by means of inclined hooks that engage plates attached to the body, which plates are provided with depressed channels or ways and slots at the ends of said Ways, so that the lid may be released from engagement with the casketbody by drawing at the foot end of the same Without moving7 and I do not claim this feature broadly.

Having thus described niyinvention,I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination, with a plate attached to the edge of the casket-body, said plate being provided With a depressed channel or `Way, a shoulder at one end of said channel, an eye or opening at the other end ofthe channel, and a ledge adjoining said opening7 a tapering catch attached to the lid, and aspring-actuated locking-piece pivoted to said catch and provided with a lateral finger-piece, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my` invention l have signed my naine in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VILLTAM J. NOBLE.

Witnesses:

PAUL Gonrnn, l SIDNEY MANN. 

